Blood and shadows (a Rogue love story)

Another job

A day later Ruby stood in the guild hall staring at the request board. She needed to go on a job but this one she planned to do alone. She didn't need the guys there last time, they didn't even do anything...apart from got in her way. Plus she had been in Sabertooth almost two weeks now she knew how the guild worked. She didn't need to be babysat any longer. Plus she was getting uncomfortable with all the time she was spending with them. She feelings for Rogue were becoming clearer everytime she saw him. Soon it would become hard to get rid of them. She had thought about leaving the guild but in the end she couldn't bring herself to do it. Even though she would never admit it she liked this place. It was home for her now, she had been travelling from place to place since the day she left the small home she shared with her Mum when she was 11. It was nice to have found a place she could call home again, and the people in the guild too. She liked them, they were nice and she did care about then. After Jacob died she had put up a wall around her heart. She thought if she stayed away from people they wouldn't die and she wouldn't be left with another heartbreak, but now that wall was crumbling before her she saw that that was a stupid idea. However now it was hard to let people back in, she was doing okay with it...she thought but Rogue was clearly angry with the fact that she wasn't the other night. He didn't know that she was trying her best to let them in but it was just hard for her at that moment. Then a job caught Ruby's eyes. The job was too attend a ball and catch a bandit of thieves. Apparently they came every year and stole a lot of precious jewels from the mansion. This year they were even more worried since they had received a note saying that they would come to take the mayor's daughter. The mages had to dress up and attend the ball as guests to avoid suspicion and then catch the thieves before the harmed anyone at the ball. The money was good for doing a simple job but what caught her eyes was the mountains that were very near the mountains. She knew those mountains, her Mum had taken her their many years ago. It was where Helios the light Phoenix lived. He was very loyal to Ruby's mother and was also her guardian. She knew that she could turn to him for help on this case. Why the hell hadn't she thought of that before?

"Going on a job Ruby?" Said Sting from behind her. She turned around to face him seeing Rogue stood behind him like a shadow. He was always much more silent that Sting, he never really said much but when he did it made Ruby's heart flutter just a little.

"Yeah I was thinking about it."

"Where were you yesterday? You didn't come to the guild and when we looked for you we couldn't find you anywhere." Said Rogue.

"I was actually house hunting. I figured I can't stay living in the guild rooms that the guild provides anymore. That's one of the reasons I need to go on this job. I don't quite have enough to buy the apartment." She said while Rogue looking at the job request she was holding.

"Your taking a job where you have to go to a ball? Doesn't seem like you." He said.

"Yeah I know but I'm kind of killing two birds with one stone here. Do the job and get the money then go to the mountains behind the village. I went there with my Mum when I was younger, it's where the light phoenix called Helios lives. He is very loyal to my Mum and if he knows anything he will tell me. He is technically my guardian too, I honestly don't know why I didn't think to go to him before."

"That's smart Ruby. I never would have thought to do something like that."

"Yeah just one thing. See you guys said that you's help me with this case right and well..." Ruby looked at the floor a small blush spreading on her cheeks. She couldn't believe she was really going to do this. Sting and Rogue watched her closely. She was blushing, she was actually blushing. Sting and Rogue felt a blush appear on their cheeks too. She was too cute when she was blushing, cite and vulnerable. "Um...well see on this job...it's a ball so I kind of need a date...and well..." Sting glance at Rogue from the side. She was asking to go to a ball with one of them and he was damned if he was going to let it be him. "I didn't know who else to ask so will one of you guys go with me please?"

"I would be delighted to go with you Ruby." Said Rogue. Sting glared at him.

"Hell no I'm going as her date."

"I was the one to answer first."

"That means nothing. Ruby would much rather go with me."

"Sting let's be honest here you have no idea how to dance do you? I do, therefore I am more suited to go with her."

"That doesn't mean jack I can learn."

"Guys geez calm down it was just a question." Said Ruby. "Calm the hell down." The guys looked at her almost as if they were shocked by their actions themselves. "You know what the question might not have even been directed at you guys." Ruby crouched down and looked at Lector and Frosch. "Would one of you be my date? The two humans seem too incompetent."

"I'll be your date." Said Lector.

"Fro will too." Ruby smiled at them.

"Thanks guys." She stood up and looked at the dumbfounded Sting and Rogue. 

"You can't take a cat to the ball." Said Sting.

"Why not? The job request never said my date had to be human." Rogue smiled.

"Well played Ruby." He said making a small blush appear on her face. In all honesty she really only wanted to go with Rogue but then Sting had stepped in and she didn't want to turn him down. Then it would be obvious she had a thing for Rogue. No one could know that, that would be way too embarrassing.

"Thanks. Well I asked for one but I guess I can take four." She said walking away.

"Where are you going now?" Asked Sting.

"Dress shopping. I don't actually own one...do you guys want to come?" Sting and Rogue looked at her. She was like a different person today. Ruby would never say something like that but she just did. Sting and Rogue thought about seeing Ruby in thousands of different dresses, looked beautiful.

"We can come, if you like." Said Rogue.

"Yeah I mean if you've never been dress shopping before then you need others opinions right? Guess that's us then." Said Sting walking towards Ruby.

"We can help to. Cats have a great sense of taste in clothing." Lector said with his head held high.

"Frogs do too." Said Frosch...